Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Carapicuiba Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Carapicuiba

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,270 per month in Phuket vs $733 in Carapicuiba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,304 per month in Phuket vs $1,172 in Carapicuiba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,339 per month in Phuket vs $1,612 in Carapicuiba, rent included.

Phuket costs about 73% more than Carapicuiba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Carapicuiba are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Carapicuiba 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿150

$6.43 R$31.98

-27.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.44 ฿1,496

$32.42 R$161

43.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿280

$7.26 R$36.08

19.56%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ฿95.0

$1.88 R$9.32

56.91%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ฿22.52

$1.23 R$6.11

-43.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿12.70

$0.86 R$4.27

-54.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿81.6

$1.84 R$9.13

37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿122

$2.80 R$13.90

35.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ฿71.5

$1.05 R$5.22

111.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ฿57.8

$1.58 R$7.85

13.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ฿70.4

$1.31 R$6.51

67.18%

Eggs

$2.31 ฿74.5

$2.40 R$11.93

-3.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.34 ฿623

$8.29 R$41.18

133.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ฿121

$3.76 R$18.71

0.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 ฿426

$8.72 R$43.35

51.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 ฿107

$2.26 R$11.23

47.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.1

$1.80 R$8.96

-8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ฿73.7

$1.42 R$7.04

61.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.1

$1.67 R$8.29

19.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.24

$1.30 R$6.45

17.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿48.77

$1.26 R$6.26

19.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.12

$0.81 R$4.01

27.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.57

$0.74 R$3.67

-31.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿142

$2.10 R$10.42

110.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 ฿625

$9.55 R$47.48

103.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.0

$1.36 R$6.77

32.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿86.4

$2.37 R$11.78

13.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ฿46.11

$0.92 R$4.56

55.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿377

$45.92 R$228

-74.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿97.9

$1.10 R$5.47

176.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.37

$0.71 R$3.52

46.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.68 ฿441

$7.26 R$36.07

88.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.85

$1.05 R$5.24

23.81%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.9K ฿898.9K

$21.5K R$106.7K

29.91%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$33.0K ฿1.1M

$29.0K R$144.3K

13.77%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$123 ฿3,962

$53.9 R$268

128.23%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.82 ฿445

$14.90 R$74.1

-7.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.86 ฿608

$18.76 R$93.2

0.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 ฿1,970

$17.62 R$87.6

247.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

$26.75 R$133

-37.16%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿286

$5.54 R$27.54

60.11%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$696 ฿22.4K

$318 R$1,579

119.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿517.4K

$6,908 R$34.3K

132.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,910

$51.9 R$258

14.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 ฿1,123

$41.95 R$208

-16.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,646

$80.4 R$400

40.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 ฿2,740

$71.9 R$357

18.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ฿19.8K

$205 R$1,016

200.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.4K

$134 R$667

233.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿67.2K

$317 R$1,577

557.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿48.2K

$226 R$1,121

563.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,734 ฿120.3K

$1,680 R$8,351

122.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ฿85.8K

$1,218 R$6,053

118.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

$323 R$1,603

65.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

10.92

-51.19%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Last update for Carapicuiba: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $615 in Phuket versus $205 in Carapicuiba. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 65% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46 in Phuket versus $32 in Carapicuiba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $196 – making Carapicuiba the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Phuket vs Carapicuiba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 73%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,904 per month in Phuket and $1,099 in Carapicuiba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Carapicuiba, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 48% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket and $32.00 in Carapicuiba. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Carapicuiba, where all-in costs run around $733, than in Phuket at $1,270. In Carapicuiba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Carapicuiba – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Carapicuiba. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.